Feature Film: Sunflower

A seventeen-year-old boy struggles to understand and embrace his sexuality as he comes of age in the working class suburbs on Melbourne’s edge.

In the outer suburbs of Melbourne, seventeen-year-old Leo leads a seemingly typical life. Amidst hanging out with friends, bickering with his Italian family at the dinner table, going to school, and making out with his girlfriend Monique, Leo guards a secret he’s afraid to confront—a hidden truth buried deep within. As Leo grapples with his inner turmoil, he finds himself unexpectedly drawn to his best friend, Boof, and the quiet, introverted boy at school named Tom. These newfound feelings force Leo to confront his true desires and come to terms with his identity. However, everything changes after a high school gathering when rumours about Leo’s sexuality begin to circulate, shattering his once stable world. Faced with the fear of rejection from those closest to him, Leo must navigate the uncertain waters of acceptance and love.

As visually Beautiful as it is heartfelt, Sunflower was a dream to be a part of. This movie is based on Gabriel’s lived experiences, so taking them and writing it’s soundtrack was both a massive challenge, and a huge honour. The score features lush synths and sound designs, creating a saturated, warm and enveloping world for this gorgeous film to reside.

Sunflower premiered at Sydney International Film Festival, and toured a host of other festivals around Australia and the world including Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane Film Festivals, Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Rio LGBTQIA+ Film Festival and also participated in the Queer Screen “Goes To Cannes” program.

Sunflower had a theatrical release across Australia, and is now available to watch on SBS On Demand. The Score is available for streaming on all major platforms.